TITLE:
Analysis of the Effectiveness of Using the Blood Patch in Patients with Post-Dural Puncture Headache: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
AUTHORS:
Lysandra Maria Sampaio de Abreu, Elis de Souza Brandão Almeida, Marina Meirelles Paes, Thais Gotfryd Ben Ezri, Silvia Aparecida Oesterreich, Laís Chancare Garcia, Ubiratan Ribeiro Martins Neto, Francisco Rodrigues Martins, Raquel Borges de Barros Primo, Dioelen Virginia Borges Souza de Aquino Coelho, Antonia Gomes de Olinda, Pablinny Moreira Galdino de Carvalho, Adryano Augustto Valladao de Carvalho, Bruno Henrique da Silva Ramos, Maria Luísa Lima Pires Ferreira Correa, Aliny Grippe Mota, Igor Muriel da Silva Fernandes, Gustavo Roberto Villas-Boas
KEYWORDS:
Epidural Blood Patch, Post-Dural Puncture Headache, Spinal Anesthesia, Spinal Punctures, Subarachnoid Spaces
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Anesthesiology,
Vol.15 No.3,
March
19,
2025
ABSTRACT: Post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) is one of the most relevant complications that can occur after a dural puncture. The gold standard technique for treating PDPH is known as the blood patch. A systematic review of the scientific literature with a meta-analytic study was conducted and previously registered in the PROSPERO. It aimed to study the effectiveness of the blood patch as a first-choice treatment in patients with PDPH. The review followed the recommendations of the PRISMA. A guiding question was formulated following the acronym PICO. The research and preliminary screening strategy were conducted in three databases: Medline, Cochrane, and the Regional Portal of the VHL. The selection criteria were randomized clinical trials that evaluated the blood patch’s effectiveness in treating PDPH. For data collection and analysis, two authors independently selected studies, assessed the risk of bias, and extracted data. The primary outcome was the effectiveness rate of using the blood patch. Following the meta-analysis, an analysis of the certainty of the evidence was conducted. Our electronic search data resulted in 1118 studies; three were included in the meta-analysis. The blood patch has a favorable effect compared to placebo or other drug interventions in reducing headaches associated with PDPH.